How to Raise $10,000 in Ten Steps (2024)

Hint: It involves Love.

I’m in the middle of fundraising for solar power investment as part of a Haitian-led effort to support programs on the ground in Haiti focusing on some amazing schools and arts centers, so I thought I’d share what I’ve learned so far. This is also a comment on what we’d do differently next year.

We have raised 2/3 the daunting expense to ship 1,500 panels. We are just about to move into step number 7, and we will also be buying batteries, inverters, and hopefully to sponsoring a Robotics Club in Jacmel. If you’d like to be part of step number 2, donate today — you’re essential to our process.

So you have a thing, and you need some money for this thing. You don’t have time or income to simply save up that amount, and you know it’s a cause that people are willing to contribute to so you decide to raise the money on your own. You may be connected to a non-profit, or you may just be an individual or collective working on this project. You can do it, but it will take a bit more than just posting to Facebook and asking for it.

These 10 steps are doable in a single month if you have the right network and resources, but it is best to plan in advance of your fundraising time period. It is also best to have time to repeat some steps if you are able. These estimates are based on a couple of assumptions that 1) you have a pretty good network in your community, 2) you are comfortable asking people for money for your cause, and 3) your network is of people who have some money, but may not necessarily be made up of all wealthy people — your average donors can give about $25. Does this mean you have to get 400 different people to donate? Well that’s one way to do it, but here is another:

1. Find a cause that is bigger, better, and more compelling than yourself. Find your sense of urgency, and the confidence behind your story. Contribute what you can from your own money, and tell every person you meet about your project. With enthusiasm and passion. Every. Single. Person. Accept that you’ll have rejection, but it’s not really rejection — people just have other priorities for their own money and that’s cool. But about 1–2 out of every 10 people you meet will contribute something. This is already 10% of your goal.
2. Build a digital platform of some kind, even if it’s a blog post with your Venmo or PayPal link (GoFundMe takes more of a fee). Make it clear what you’re doing, why you need this money, and why the person reading the page should contribute. Make it visual. Set up a social profile specifically for your cause if one does not already exist. Promote out of both your personal and the cause profiles. Share regular updates and “content marketing” or content that is related to your cause. Also regularly directly ask people to donate and share. Direct asks are way more powerful and successful than passive posts. This is another 10% of your goal.
3. Plan an event, and get everything donated. If your contacts can’t give money, maybe they can give resources, and vice versa. Notice the word is “contacts” as they don’t necessarily have to be friends, and with the right approach it is ok to engage people you do not know (though best if you have some kind of previous connection). Whether it’s an art event, a date auction, a professional seminar, or fitness class. Find space based on who you know that will give it for free. Make sure the event is awesome, and given as a gift of love to your donors. Make it unique. Even if it’s in your friend’s parents backyard. Make it art or find someone who can help you do so. Perhaps you aren’t the best at event planning, so maybe one of your donors provides their logistics, promotion, or artistic skills as a donation. Ask local restaurants and caterers to donate an appetizer or drinks. Ask your talented contacts to come read their poetry, play their guitar, show their art, or teach their skills as part of a value offer for the attendees. Promote it with a really cool looking invite through Splash or Eventbrite. Charge $10 (or whatever is fair) at the door and offer out a tip jar. You can also sell raffle tickets for art or trinkets. Get those donated too. The tickets and the prizes. Keep those email addresses from RSVPs, you’ll need them later. Make it clear that this is a fundraising event, and talk to every person who enters the room to thank them for coming, thank them for contributing, smile at them, and shake their hand or hug them (this is important). This is about 15% of your goal.
4. Find angel investors who you know will agree to contribute more than 5% of your goal and prioritize inviting them to your event. If they can’t make it, tell them that’s ok, they can still donate. If they are business owners, have them sponsor the event with their business and promote them at the event verbally or in a program, and on social media. If you’re going through a 501c3 they can use it as a tax deduction. Tell them how important they are to reaching the goal and tell them exactly where their dollars will go. Tell them which school, which person, which expense, or which piece of equipment. Show them a picture if you can. Don’t be pushy, but be informative. Also be persistent as these people are often busy, and if they don’t get back to you right away that is not the same thing as a “No.” Be perfectly ok with the No, because next time it may be a yes. Depending on your network, this is 5–20% of your goal. Let’s call it 10%.
5. Come up with a compelling story, and make your way into the local media. Most newspapers and radio stations have a way to contact, but it’s best to reach out to a friend of a friend. Even if it’s a friend of a friend of a friend — and be prepared to give a summary of your project. What makes your project unique and what piques people’s interests? For example, when raising money for a school in the Congo, what about this area makes this school essential and what cute personality traits do the kids have that you’ve learned about? If you’re building a community garden, what neighbors are excited to have what vegetables every year? Make sure you’re talking directly with the recipients of the funds so that people know their money is going directly to the cause, as that’s a common concern these days. People will hear this, and come to your event ready to give, and invite their contacts to do so too. Those who can’t make it out may still give. This is another 5%.
6. Attend as many community events as possible during this month. Ask the organizers ahead of time if you can speak at the beginning or end to promote your event and your cause. Make it easy to donate — use a friendly URL or send them to your social profile for the link. If you’re not a great speaker or uncomfortable, just ask the promoter to share some details, but still be present. People will be happy to promote a cause if the event is not already related to a cause, as they care about you and it’s an easy “donation.” Talk to 3–5 new people about your event at everything you go to, whether it’s a party, an art opening, or a football game. This is another 5% of your goal, so we are already at 55%.
7. Find at least 2 local restaurants, preferably high end, to host a dine-in fundraiser for your event. This means a portion of the profits for that evening goes towards your cause. These should be established restaurants as newer ones are usually still trying to make ends meet. This is another 10% or more.
8. Find your contacts’ workplaces (and your own workplace) that will let you rent a conference room and educate people about your cause, and tell them how they can get involved, AKA donate. Find as many of these as possible, and remember that many bigger companies match donations of their employees, so target those specifically. Ask around, do research, reach out to people on LinkedIn and Facebook. It never hurts to ask. This is another 5% or more.
9. Lather, rinse repeat. You can do all of the above in about a month, but it is best to plan 1–2 months in advance of these actions so you know what your plan is and where your resources are. It’s also best to have a loose deadline. For example if you’re running your fundraiser in March, reach out for sponsorships starting in January, and make sure you have your in-kind donors who are giving you space, food, performances, or airtime secured by February. Do the above 8 steps in March, and depending on where you are at with your goal, repeat again in April to reach another 30% of your goal. Depending on your planning and resources, you may be able to reach your goal in one month, but if it takes three don’t stop until you’ve arrived. Your cause is too important to give up, remember?
10. Remember those email addresses for the RSVP, and those business owner or angel investors that did not get back to you in time? Send an email, or better yet contact them directly by phone or with a meeting to let them know you are 90% to your goal. Be thoughtful about this approach, and acknowledge that you’ve already reached out. Just let them know you are so close that you are exhausting all of your opportunities for the home stretch. Thank them for their partnership and their attention. Do this with sincerity and love. If this is about a month later from your original ask, and you have a pool of about 200 people, about 20% will have a little something more to give. If each of those 40 people gives an average of $25 — congratulations, you have your final 10% to reach your $10,000 goal.
11. Bonus step: Celebrate and share your success with all who contributed. Be prepared, too, to know what you’ll do with any extra money you might make in case you happen to be very good at this. Also share the love and do a blog post, or even just a Facebook post what you did with others so that they can repeat your success and continue doing grassroots fundraising for causes that matter to the people. Understand that since you’ve just asked literally everyone you know for money, it may be a few months before you can do this again with success and momentum.